"They physically kicked Texas' a**": Nick Saban makes eye-catching remarks for Kenny Dillingham's ASU at Peach Bowl

After a slow start, the Arizona State Sun Devils never got away from their physical brand of football, and to Nick Saban, that’s why they were close to pulling an all-time stunner at the Peach Bowl on New Year’s Day.

The Sun Devils entered the game as a two-touchdown underdog and went into halftime trailing 17-3. Despite the score, Kenny Dillingham’s squad stuck to the plan: run with Cam Skattebo and play physical football. That turned the tide and got ASU back into a game they would ultimately lose in overtime.

“Once they regained their poise in the game, and just became who they were, they were a physical team all year, they ran. Skattebo’s a physical guy. The quarterback took advantage of their ability to run the ball and then make plays down the field, even though they don’t have great receivers.

“But as soon as they became who they are, they competed and really almost kind of physically kicked Texas’ a** a little bit in this game,” Nick Saban said on “The Pat McAfee Show.”

Skattebo finished with 143 of his team’s 214 yards on the ground. Arizona State finished with 510 total yards, compared to Texas’ 375.

For Nick Saban, the message is clear. Teams should stick to what they do best. Through a mostly non-competitive first two rounds of the College Football Playoff, Texas’ 39-31 double-overtime victory against Arizona State has been the highlight of the CFP so far.

Yet it was the Sun Devils’ refusal to change who they are regardless of the situation that turned the game into a classic.

Nick Saban doesn’t share Steve Sarkisian’s approach to the kicking game

Another element that let Arizona State get back in the game was Texas' inability to score points late. Or more accurately, kicker Bert Auburn’s struggles late in the fourth quarter.

Auburn missed a 48-yard field goal with the score tied at 24 and 1:39 left to play. After the Longhorns got the ball back and Quinn Ewers engineered another solid drive, Auburn hit the left upright as time expired to send the game into overtime.

However, there was something before the second missed kick that Nick Saban didn’t agree with: Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian’s conversation with Auburn.

The former Alabama head coach said he never talked to kickers before any kick, avoiding any more pressure than what they already had.

“I didn’t want them to think that it was a different kick than any other kick they’ve had to make and be so concerned about the outcome of making the kick that they didn’t just kick with confidence,” Saban explained.

Before the final kick, Sarkisian pulled his kicker aside and gave him a pep talk. Auburn has struggled this year, making 64% of his kicks with a long of 49 yards.